Dry cleaning can be a pain the butt, not to mention super expensive, especially if you're wearing a lot of wool sweaters during the cold winter season. Thankfully, with a little time and effort, you can wash most of your "dry clean" or "dry clean only" clothing at home.

Cottons, linens, and durable polyesters can be washed in the washing machine, so long as they are placed in a laundry mesh bag and set at the most gentle cycle using mild detergent and cold water. Hang dry immediately and definitely do not place in the dryer.

Wool, silk, and cotton material can be hand-washed using mild detergent. Be sure to dry clothing afterwards by rolling garment between two layers of clean towels, then laying flat on a third clean towel afterward.

Take note that some clothing materials should be dry-cleaned no matter what. This applies to fur, suede, taffeta, velvet, and any article of clothing with intricate stitching or beadwork. For that, you can purchase dry cleaning kits at the grocery store, which come with stain remover, dryer-activated cloths, and a reusable dryer bag.

3 Comments

Wow, definitely agree with your tips. I have ruined some clothing articles while learning, but also saved so much by not going to the cleaners. I buy things that say, Dry Clean Only, knowing that I can clean them at home. Yes, most things can be washed on the gentle cycle, and then hung out to dry. Yes, most of the very fussy pieces can be dipped in the sink, then rolled in towels, and reshaped on towels and air dried. It takes some work, not much, but also very satisfying when you end up with a great garment you can still wear at no extra cost.